Tamper evident shipping box such as for garments

ABSTRACT

A shipping container including a generally elongated and three dimensional rectangular body, such as adapted for holding at least one garment. A door hingedly secured along a forward outer edge of the body and, upon pre-placing within the box the items to be shipped, being secured over a forward perimeter edge of the top panel by an adhesive in tamper evident fashion. Tear-away strips configured into the door inwardly spaced from the tamper evident adhesives and, upon removal, leaving the outer rim portion of the door affixed by the tamper evident adhesive, with the inwardly spaced portion of the door permitted to be reopened to reveal a central opening defined within the top panel of the enclosure. A hanger is supported along a top underside location of the open interior for supporting clothing within the interior of the shipping container.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a tamper evident commercial shipping box particularly configured for shipping garments supported on a hanger. The box exhibits a generally elongated and three dimensional rectangular construction for holding a set of clothing. A door is hingedly secured along a forward outer edge of the body and, upon pre-placing within the box the items to be shipped, is secured over a forward perimeter edge by an adhesive or the like in tamper evident fashion. A plurality of interconnected tear-away strips are configured into the door inwardly spaced from the tamper evident adhesive and, upon removal, leave the outer rim portion of the door affixed by the tamper evident adhesive, with the inwardly spaced portion of the door permitted to be reopened to reveal a central opening defined within the forward face of the enclosure. A hanger is provided which is constructed of a corrugated paperboard material similar to that of the blank construction of the assembled shipping box. The hanger is supported along a top underside location of the open interior for supporting clothing within the interior of the shipping container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART

The prior art is documented with examples of clothing containing or supporting devices. A first example of this is set forth in FR 2 519 611 which teaches a package which is applicable both for transporting and storage of articles.

US 2006/0096821, to McKaba, teaches a portable container such as, for example, a suitcase, having a compartment and an extendable organizer disposed within the compartment. The extendable organizer is preferably made of a lightweight material such as nylon. The organizer, when extended, presents a plurality of horizontal, flat, collapsible shelves providing storage compartments, the shelves being vertically separated by a desired distance. The organizer, can be of any particular configuration, including length, width and height, consistent with the dimensions of the compartment within the container. In a preferred embodiment the organizer extends to approximately 30 inches in height and collapses, preferably in an accordion-like fashion, to pack down to a height of less than about one inch when empty.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,706,838, to Shaw, teaches an authority controlled clothing locker including a generally elongated and three dimensional rectangular body adapted for holding a set of clothing, including footwear. A door is hingedly secured along a forward edge of the body and is releasably engaged over an open front of the locker. A hanger is adapted to being supported relative to a top underside location of the open interior, the body further including a hanging aperture configured within an upper most lip of the body, the aperture further adapted for suspending the body from a horizontally extending pole, bar or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

As previously described, the present invention discloses a tamper evident commercial shipping box particularly configured for shipping garments supported on a hanger. The box exhibits a generally elongated and three dimensional rectangular construction for holding a set of clothing.

A door is hingedly secured along a forward outer edge of the body and, upon pre-placing within the box the items to be shipped, is secured over a forward perimeter edge by an adhesive or the like in tamper evident fashion. A plurality of interconnected tear-away strips are configured into the door inwardly spaced from the tamper evident adhesive and, upon removal, leave the outer rim portion of the door affixed by the tamper evident adhesive, with the inwardly spaced portion of the door permitted to be reopened to reveal a central opening defined within the forward face of the enclosure.

A hanger is provided which is constructed of a corrugated paperboard material similar to that of the blank construction of the assembled shipping box. The hanger is supported along a top underside location of the open interior for supporting clothing within the interior of the shipping container. In this manner, the present invention provides a durable, cost effective option for transporting garments and the like in a rigid, light weight and tamper evident enclosure which additionally provides a measure of breathe-ability to the held contents owing to the material construction of the shipping box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read in combination with the following detailed description, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the shipping box according to one non-limiting variant of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a succeeding view illustrating the shipping box illustrating the door in an open position in order to reveal a retaining interior including an upper edge supported clothing hanger as well as the outer perimeter release tape covering the tamper evident adhesive and the interiorly spaced tear away strips for reopening the shipping box at its end destination;

FIG. 3 is a side perspective of the shipping box and further illustrating its interior depth dimensions;

FIG. 4 is an interior and underside perspective of one variant of the clothing locker and which illustrates a structurally supported underside portion for receiving an upper most hook inserting portion of a hanger;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a blank forming the shipping container of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is plan view of a further blank portion forming the corrugated hanger for use with the shipping container in supporting garments during shipping;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the shipping box similar to that previously shown in FIG. 1 according to a further non-limiting variant of the present invention which does not include the upper handle portion;

FIG. 8 is a succeeding view illustrating the shipping box of FIG. 7 illustrating the door in an open position in order to reveal a retaining interior including an upper edge supported clothing hanger as well as the outer perimeter release tape covering the tamper evident adhesive and the interiorly spaced tear away strips for reopening the shipping box at its end destination; and

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the blank forming the shipping container of FIG. 7 of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As previously described, the present invention discloses shipping container, generally depicted at 10 in FIG. 1, which permits shipping of garments and the like in a cost effective fashion. As will be also described, additional desired aspects of the shipping container include its transportability, the ability to tag information labels or the like such as to the exterior surface of the locker (this including arrest information or the like as well as other identifying indicia), and the ability to obscure the interior contents (desirable in many instances) which is often not possible in the use of prior art shipping articles such as flexible garment bags and the like.

Also, the ability of the rigid and corrugated paperboard shipping container to be self-supporting on a level surface, such as during transport, is another advantage not possible with flexible garment bags and such. The additional advantage of the rigid self-supporting shipping container to permit emplacement of additional articles, such as footwear, in addition to garments adapted to being supported on a hanger is another feature not provided for by a flexible garment bag.

As shown, the shipping container in the illustrated embodiment is constructed, in one non-limiting embodiment, of a corrugated paperboard material exhibiting the necessary properties of strength and durability and exhibits a generally elongated and three dimensional rectangular construction. In combination with the flattened (pre-assembled) blank illustration of FIG. 5, the shipping container includes a heavy duty corrugated board article which is provided as a series of interconnected panels which are assembled to create the three dimensional rectangular shaped shipping container.

Without limitation, the present invention also envisions the use of other materials and composites having the necessary properties of rigidity and durability, such including any combination of paperboard and/or plasticized layers (including coatings). The material construction may also be engineered to provide a degree of breathe-ability and/or waterproof protection of the held articles such as during shipping over long distances and/or in varying climactic conditions.

The panels include each of a front panel 12, a rear panel 14 (such including a plurality of ventilation apertures 15), interconnected side panels 16 and 18, a bottom collectively comprised by hinged bottom panels 20 and 22 associated with the front 12 and rear 14 panels along with by hinged bottom flaps 24 and 26 associated with sides 16 and 18, and a top including hinged pairs of front and rear flaps 28/30 and 32/34 and end or side flaps 36 and 38 (these collectively creating a hand hold top panel and corresponding in placement to the arrangement of the bottom panels 20/22 and flaps 24/26). A door 40 is hingedly secured along an edge 42 of side panel 18 and, as will be further described, provides tamper evident closing over the front panel 12, and so as to obscure the interior of the three dimensional assembled rectangular body, as otherwise accessible through a four sided perimeter edge 44 configured in the front panel 12 and (with the door 40 open) revealing the interior.

The blank construction also includes a side edge of the front panel 12 opposite the side panel 16 further includes a partial side panel 46 which, upon assembly, overlaps the side panel 18 during three dimensional assembly. Assembly of the blank can include any adhesive such as for inter-assembling the bottom flaps in combination with securing the partial side flap 46 against the side flap 18. In combination, the top flaps 30 and 34 include hand-hold cutouts 48 and 50 which, upon inward flattening of the inside flaps 28/30 of the pairs of top flaps 28/30 and 32/34, permit the upper most flaps 30/34 to abut against each other with the hand hold cutouts 48/50 in alignment.

The top side flaps 36/38 further include slots 52/54 which receive sandwiched pairs of edge tabs 56/58 and 60/62 projecting from the uppermost top flaps 30/32 (see again blank of FIG. 5) during folding into the three dimensional rectangular configuration. Also provided are intermediate tabs 64/66 configured between the hinge line of the flaps 28/30. A pair of channels 68/70 are positioned between the hinge line of the flaps 32/34 and, upon manipulating the top flaps from the blank shape of FIG. 5, receive the intermediate tabs 64/66 to complete the top assembly in the three dimensional configuration. Without limitation, additional adhesives, mechanical fasteners or the like can be provided in combination with the tab and slot arrangement for assembling the arrangement of top and bottom panels and flaps and along with assembling the edge flap 46 to the opposing outer edge of the door 40..

Referring to FIG. 6, a plan view is shown of a further blank portion, generally at 72, forming the corrugated hanger for use with the shipping container in supporting garments during shipping. The hanger is constructed of a similar paperboard material and includes first 74 and second 76 subset portions which are attached along a common hinge line and, upon being folded together and secured by adhesives (see partially at 78 which can be applied to an opposing surface of either or both of the hanger portions) provide an article of sufficient rigidity with an upper hook end (see at 80/82) for supporting any garments (not shown but including any of pants, shirts, jackets) supported upon the hanger.

FIG. 4 is an interior and underside perspective of one variant of the shipping container and which illustrates a structurally supported underside portion for receiving an upper most hook inserting portion of the corrugated hanger 72. This is also referenced in the blank configuration of FIG. 5 which includes a plurality of folded hinged portions with a central planar support portion 84 with hinged end portion 86 extending from the front panel 12 downwardly past the perimeter opening 44. Additional outer pairs of folding portion 88/90 and 92/94 extend from opposite edges of the central portion planar support portion 84. Cutout profiles, see at 96 and 98, are configured into the outer pairs 88/90 and 92/94 of the interior hanger supporting structure and, upon assembly of the interior structure with the addition of the inwardly folded latch portions 100 and 102, provide a sufficient interior structural support for receiving the folded hook ends 80/82 of the hanger 72 (through either or both of the cutout profiles 96/98) to support the weight of the hanger in combination with the garments (not shown) supported thereupon.

Referring further to FIGS. 1-3 in combination, the door 40, which is again hingedly secured at 42 as depicted in the pre-assembled and flattened blank view in FIG. 5, also includes an adhesive applied along at least one or more interconnected and inwardly facing outer perimeter edge locations. This is further best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 by release tape portions 104, 106 and 108 corresponding to the outer most and inwardly facing edge portions of the door 40 and which, upon pre-placing within the box the items to be shipped, are removed to expose adhesives which permit the door 40 to be is secured over forward perimeter edge 44 in tamper evident fashion (FIG. 1).

A plurality of interconnected tear-away strips, see further shown at 110, 112 and 114, are configured into the door 40 inwardly spaced from the tamper evident adhesives and covering strips 104, 106 and 108 and, upon removal, leave the outer rim extending portions of the door corresponding to the strips remaining affixed to the outer rim of the front panel 12 by the tamper evident adhesives. At this point, the inwardly spaced portion of the door permitted to be reopened to reveal a central opening defined within the forward face of the enclosure.

Without limitation, the shipping container 10 can exhibit other shapes, material constructions or the like without departing from the scope of the invention. It is also understood that the corrugated heavy duty paperboard construction of the shipping container, combined with the arrangement of ventilation slots 15, provide any necessary degree of anti-degradation breathe-ability to the desired article, such as which is not limited to use with transporting garments and which can also be reconfigured for use with other contents to be shipped in a tamper evident fashion. The rectangular construction of the shipping container also enables easier and secure shipping by providing a flat bottom for supporting in a vertically stacked arrangement.

Referring now to FIGS. 7-9, a series of plan, open perspective and flattened blank views are illustrated of a further variant, at 200 in FIG. 7, of a further version of the shipping box, similar in most respects to that depicted in FIGS. 1-5 at 10, and with the exception that the upper gripping handle portions are removed. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the shipping box 200, similar to that previously shown in FIG. 1 at 10, according to a further non-limiting variant of the present invention and which again does not include the upper handle portion.

FIG. 8 is a succeeding view illustrating the shipping box of FIG. 7 illustrating the door 40 in an open position in order to reveal a retaining interior including an upper edge supported clothing hanger as well as the outer perimeter release tape covering the tamper evident adhesive and the interiorly spaced tear away strips (again shown at 110, 112, 114) for reopening the shipping box at its end destination. For purposes of the disclosure of FIGS. 7-9, all similar components are identically numbered, with the exception of bottom panels 20′/22′ and bottom flaps 24′/26′ (see blank view of FIG. 9) which are similarly positioned to those shown at 20/22 and 24/26 in FIG. 6 however varied in dimension.

Similarly, upper panels 28′/32′ and flaps 36′/38′ (see again FIG. 9) are likewise reconfigured from those depicted in the blank 10 of FIG. 5 and which, upon assembly as depicted in FIGS. 7-8 utilizing any arrangement of adhesives, mechanical fasteners or the like, provides a flush three dimensional rectangular package having tamper evident properties for shipping. As further noted, the dual upper panels 32/34 and 28/30 in FIG. 5 are replaced by single re-dimensioned flaps 28′/32′ in FIG. 9, with the end flaps 36/38 of FIG. 5 further being reconfigured as rectangular flap portions 36′/38′ in FIG. 9 to assemble into a flush three dimensional assembled profile for ease of shipping.

Having described my invention, other and additional preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains, and without deviating from the scope of the appended claims. 

I claim:
 1. A shipping container, comprising: a generally elongated and three dimensional rectangular body adapted for holding at least an article of clothing; a door hingedly secured over a front panel of the body and including adhesive portions for securing said door in tamper evident fashion against said front panel; and a plurality of interconnected tear-away strips configured into said door inwardly from said tamper evident adhesives and, upon removal, leaving outer rim extending portions of said door aligning with said adhesives remaining affixed to an outer rim of said front panel, an inwardly spaced portion of said door being permitted to be reopened to reveal a central opening defined within said front panel for accessing the article.
 2. The shipping container of claim 1, further comprising peel away strips covering said adhesive portions.
 3. The shipping container of claim 1, said body further comprising a flattened blank construction including a plurality of hinged panels defining each of a front, back, top, bottom and sides.
 4. The shipping container of claim 3, said top further comprising first and second pairs of inter-assembleable side and end flaps.
 5. The shipping container of claim 4, further comprising aligning hand-hold apertures configured in an uppermost interconnecting one of each of said pairs of top side flaps.
 6. The shipping container of claim 1, further comprising ventilation apertures configured in said body.
 7. The shipping container of claim 1, further comprising a structurally supported underside portion for receiving an upper most hook inserting portion of a hanger.
 8. The shipping container of claim 7, said underside portion further comprising a central planar support portion with hinged end portion extending from said front panel downwardly past said central opening.
 9. The shipping container of claim 8, said underside portion further comprising pairs of folding portions extending from opposite edges of said central portion planar support portion, cutout profiles configured into said pairs of folding portions and, upon assembly of the interior structure with the addition of inwardly folded latch portions, providing a sufficient interior structural support for receiving a hook end of the hanger.
 10. The shipping container of claim 7, said hanger further comprising a corrugated paperboard material. 